


When He Wakes

by emphasisonem



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Implied Smut, M/M, lots of feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-13 14:27:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7980001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emphasisonem/pseuds/emphasisonem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Stevie,” Bucky breathes against Steve’s neck, his voice raspy and surprised, and the blond shudders. “Stevie, I <i>remember</i>.”</p><p>And then Bucky’s lips find his.</p><p> <b>In which Bucky recalls some things the night before he goes back into cryo.</b></p>
            </blockquote>





	When He Wakes

**Author's Note:**

> I tagged this as canon-divergent since their relationship isn't canon, but if anyone thinks that's overkill, let me know. Another prompt from another excellent tumblr user who wanted Bucky overwhelmed by Steve's touch. This is my first foray into even remotely canon territory, so I hope it's not awful. Hope you all like it!

If you had asked Steve to guess at the least likely place he and Bucky would be able to hide after the events of the last couple of days, Wakanda would have been at the top of the list. And yet, here they are in T’Challa’s palace, wounds treated and bellies full.

Bucky looks slightly dazed and a little off balance, but still so beautiful, as he sits on his bed, his metal arm gone. They’ve been debating about next steps for Bucky all evening, and the brunet is adamant that he needs to go back into cryo until they can figure out how to get rid of all the shit Hydra dumped into his head.

“Tomorrow,” Bucky tells Steve as he sits with clean white blankets pooled around him, and Steve’s heart aches because his friend looks so small and lost. “Tomorrow, we put me back in cryo. T’Challa say’s he’ll protect me, and if you trust him, I trust him. It’s better for everybody.”

“Not necessarily,” Steve replies as calmly as he can because all he wants to do is scream, to shout that it’s not better for _Steve_ if his only connection to home is ripped away from him again. “We should quit arguing and get some sleep, Buck. I’m just down the hall if you need me. Good night.”

Steve’s still wide awake when Bucky opens the door to his room and crawls into bed with him an hour later.

“I can’t,” Bucky gasps softly as he curls into Steve’s side. “I can’t be alone right now. Not knowing that I have to go back into cryo alone, not knowing when I’ll see you again.”

Steve holds Bucky tight, the familiar feeling of the other man against him soothing despite Bucky’s anxiety. Steve wonders if somewhere deep in the reaches of his mind, Bucky remembers this, remembers that he and Steve used to lie like this together before Steve had failed to save him.

Steve cards a hand through Bucky’s dark hair, a gesture that used to calm him before and during the war. Bucky leans into the touch, whining, and Steve can’t help his sharp intake of breath as Bucky rolls his hips against him.

“Stevie,” Bucky breathes against Steve’s neck, his voice raspy and surprised, and the blond shudders. “Stevie, I _remember.”_

And then Bucky’s lips find his.

 

* * *

 

Bucky remembers everything the moment Steve wraps those strong arms around him and runs gentle fingers through his hair. Remembers the two of them tangled together on that lumpy mattress in that shithole apartment they shared, trying to stay warm. Remembers Steve’s lips, insistent and desperate against his own the moment they were alone after Steve had rescued him from that Hydra base during the war. Remembers the way they took care of each other, teased each other, took each other to the brink and over the edge at every opportunity before Bucky’d lost his grip on that freight car.

Remembers the way that they loved each other.

Steve’s lips are gentle against Bucky’s now, coaxing them open, and Bucky moans as Steve’s tongue enters his mouth, exploring without haste. Bucky shudders as Steve runs soothing hands down his sides, wrapping them around Bucky’s waist and pulling him flush against Steve.

It’s be so long since Bucky’s experienced touch without pain that he can hardly breathe. He feels like he’s going to fall apart, and he’s not sure that even Steve can put him back together. He’s still so raw, so ruined, that he begins to cry as Steve kisses along his jawline.

“Hey,” Steve whispers as he pulls back, wiping the tears from Bucky’s cheeks. “Bucky, hey. It’s all right. You’re all right. I’ve got you, doll.”

“Steve,” Bucky sobs weakly, pressing his forehead to Steve’s shoulder, gripping the blond tightly with his arm. “Oh, god, Steve, it’s too much, but I need you.”

“I’m not goin’ anywhere, sweetheart,” Steve breathes. “I promise. C’mere. I’ll just hold you, honey, it’s all right. It’s all right, I swear it.”

Steve rolls onto his back, pulling Bucky close so that the brunet can lay his head on Steve’s broad chest. Bucky sighs as Steve rubs soothing circles along his back, occasionally reaching up to thread his fingers through the brunet’s long hair. Every touch sets Bucky on fire, and it’s good, it’s so _good_ , but Bucky feels like he might combust.

“Is this all right?” Steve asks, pressing a gentle kiss to Bucky’s temple. “Are you all right?”

“I feel like if my skin weren’t holding me together I’d just explode in a million different directions,” Bucky exhales a shaky laugh. “I don’t even remember what all right feels like anymore, Stevie. I just know that it doesn’t hurt and that I love you. It’s too much, but it’d be worse now if you stopped. I want to remember what it feels like to be loved by you.”

“Ok.” Tears are welling up in Steves's blue eyes, and Bucky can’t stand to see Steve so sad. So he leans up and kisses him again. Steve’s lips part on a contented sigh, and Bucky feels something in his chest loosen at that. Bucky cups Steve’s face with his hand, thumb tracing back and forth along sharp cheekbones as he molds his lips to the gentle curve of Steve’s mouth.

 

* * *

 

Bucky’s not sure how long he kisses Steve for, but when he wakes up the next morning, he feels well-rested for the first time in decades. Steve’s wide blue eyes are smiling down at him as he stretches and places a kiss to Steve’s plush, pink lips.

“I love you too, you know,” Steve whispers against Bucky’s mouth, and the brunet shivers. “So much, Buck.”

“Show me,” Bucky breathes as he tugs Steve closer. “Show me while there’s still time.”

“Bucky, you don’t have to-” Steve begins, but Bucky silences him with another kiss.

“Yes, I do, Steve,” Bucky replies, resting his forehead against Steve’s. “Yes, I do. For you. For everybody. Until I can be just me again.”

And although the future is uncertain, although Bucky has no idea how long he’ll be in cryo this time around, Bucky does know one thing as Steve slides into him, breath soft and warm against the back of Bucky’s neck.

And that’s that Steve will be there when he wakes.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! You're welcome to follow me or submit your own requests [here](http://emphasisonem.tumblr.com/).


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